More Legible iMac Keyboard Needed:
I need a more legible iMac Keyboard due to less than perfect eyesight. An illuminated one such as on the MacBook would be helpful. I am working in a home office with overhead lights, but i find the standard iMac keyboard keys hard to read. I currently have both the black key and the white key versions of the Apple keyboard for iMacs with Apple silicon. I find the Touch ID key very useful. Any suggestions?
iMac 24″
Hi TonyDumin,
welcome to this Apple (user-to-user) Community!
Re: "iMac Keyboard Legibility Issue : More Legible iMac Keyboard Needed:
I need a more legible iMac Keyboard due to less than perfect eyesight. An illuminated one such as on the MacBook would be helpful. I am working in a home office with overhead lights, but i find the standard iMac keyboard keys hard to read."
Am no expert in this area, yet we can at least get your discussion underway, providing more opportunity for others to contribute.
✽ Even with a back-lighted keyboard, shining a a small flexibly-adjustable lamp on the keys can be helpful in some lighting conditions. (The weaker the eyesight the stronger the lamp ?)
✽ I understand those who learn "touch" typing rarely need to look at the keys.
✽ Seems third-party (non-Apple) keyboards with backlighting are available in many stores.
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Re: "I currently have both the black key and the white key versions of the Apple keyboard for iMacs with Apple silicon. I find the Touch ID key very useful. Any suggestions? "
Wondering whether ...
Although it may take time to learn initially, I understand many are very competent in using Voice Control all the ime.
Here's a useful non-Apple video that explains both https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNRUVp1t-uI
also Apple's articles
Get started with Voice Control on Mac - Apple Support:
and
Commands for dictating text on Mac - Apple Support
or
Keyboard viewer: Use the Keyboard Viewer on Mac - Apple Support
or the
Accessibility Keyboard: Use the Accessibility Keyboard on Mac - Apple Support
Other than the (non-backlighted) keyboard ssue: There are various aids for those with low vision
Eg: Accessibility features for vision on Mac - Apple Support
or
Change Display settings for accessibility on Mac - Apple Support
All the best :-)
Thank you kindly for your reply, for sharing your experience, and for your screenshot. Good to know that you are already exploring various options.
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Re: "Apple has alwaays paid attention in their software and system design to providing a good user experience. Perhaps they can apply that concept to their keyboards".
Apple welcomes feedback, yet is unlikely to see this post to the community.
If you wish: You can send feedback to reach those who work behind-the-scenes at Apple. (You could include a link to this discussion if you want.)
Apple's Feedback website:Product Feedback - Apple
Thanks for your thoughtful recommendations. I had already begun exploring dictation and speaking of selected text.
I tried the Logitech "MX MECHANICAL MINI for Mac" but learned that it only will illuminate the keys in a dark environment. It probably;y has that behaviot to limit battery drain. A keyboard like that of a MacBook would be ideal even if it needed a USB-C wired connection.
While the F and J keys on a mac keyboard have a very slight raised bar, I easily get my fingers displaced by one column. That makes for some interesting typing.
I compared my black key mac keyboard to my Lenovo bluetooth keyboard and found that the key caps on the Lenovo do not smudge as easily and have the characters printed off-center on the keys. See the attached photo.
Apple has alwaays paid attention in their software and system design to providing a good user experience. Perhaps they can apply that concept to their keyboards.
iMac Keyboard Legibility Issue
